You are browsing the archive for 2006 April.

… if I move to Asia, I can be tall. If I move to Eastern Europe, I can be surrounded by hairy men. If I move to Africa, I can see the cradle of humanity and dig dig dig in the ground. and see monkeys! If I move to Latin America, I can learn to speak Spanish perfectly for once and for all….

The other day, I enrolled in the Global TESOL College to get my internationally-recognized teaching certification. Meeting with the fellow at their office – on 32nd street, no less – assuaged several of my concerns (not necessarily knowing if I wanted to be in one country for a year, not having to take a week off of work in order to take the course) and this all feels right. They offer day courses for people who work at night (phew!) and it’s jobs like those in eastern Asia that want you to stay at least a year since they pay for your flight to and back, plus your apartment. Other countries have jobs from anywhere from 2 weeks (Europe) to a year, but a typical job can be 6 months here, 3 months there … with my tax refund and bonus at work, I can pay for the course comfortably. The course begins June 5th and will go until June 15; 9 to 1. I am nervous about getting there on time at 9 but I think if I want to – and I do – that I can do it. I feel motivated to be a good teacher, to really absorb the material … I think it would be best for me to teach children, though you can make more money teaching adults (I think) due to the fact that I can’t seem to get along with adults, if my current performance at work is any indication.

So I’m thinking to get out of here in october, after Greta’s baby is born. Maybe go for 6 months in one country, then spend a couple in Europe. Then maybe come back to New York for a while and take off again after a while. My TESOL certification is for life. Is it realistic, though, to think that one can just enter in and out of the job market here? Probably not, but I need out right now.

Was woken up by the TESOL folks yesterday morning in response to my e-mail requesting more information about their course. Their ad was on Craig’s List, buried among jobs I’m not qualified for and hookers I don’t want to contact. “Get paid to explore the world!” said the link. “Get your international teaching degree!” That sounded pretty good to me. I clicked. They called back.

We chatted. I was pleased to learn that the cost for this course consists only of tuition for the TESOL certification course which, though still a hefty chunk of change, is far more manageable than what the volunteer programs I researched cost. $900 versus $4K plus ~$200 for the certification to live in a dorm and get continental breakfast in Buenos Aires. This program suggests that you stay for at least a year in your chosen country, which is longer than I wanted to be in one place, but it would eliminate the problem of having to pay rent on my empty apartment for 3 months as I would just move out entirely.

$900 versus ~$7200. I think I could swing that. They said they have courses once a month and they ask that you get certified at least 6 weeks before you leave. So I could save up – and perhaps be helped by my tax return – to do the course in the summer and leave by the fall. According to the fellow I spoke to, if you teach in Asia they often fly you out there and set you up with a furnished apartment. In Asia, I thought, I could be tall. The jobs in Buenos Aires aren’t really there, he said, and in Europe they are a little more scarce, plus Visa issues tend to be a problem, yet with my potential Italian dual citizenship, that wouldn’t be such a problem.

Erma said I could leave things at her apartment. I really haven’t even got that much – mostly clothes and kitchen stuff and odds and ends. Maybe I could leave things at my brother, Diego’s place, too. I can probably sell a bunch of things, mainly to get it out of my hair as I don’t think I have anything that’s really valuable … I could get one of those big rolling suitcases, a couple of duffelbags …

Heifer. I could hold a lottery – who wins the ridiculously white pawed puffing kitty while I’m away?

i suppose if all of that could be taken care of – and it sounds possible, more possible than before – the only real problem would be deciding where to go when I want to go everywhere….